The Longest Night Part Two
by SpinalBaby
Summary: After saving his brother from himself Thor must now save Loki from Akki, the sinister Frost Giant that plagues his little brother's dreams. With the help of an old friend Thor discovers the root of the problem and how to solve it, with only one thing in his way- will Loki give up his pride and let Thor help him?


Loki looked into Thor's eyes as his brother thrust deep inside of him. It felt so empty and meaningless. It wasn't Thor… It couldn't be. He felt dizzy as he just lie there, not doing anything to stop Thor, or to show he enjoyed it. After a bit he pressed his hand against Thor's chest.  
"Brother, please, it still aches-" tears formed in his eyes, as he watched the man above him transform into the king of Jotunheim. "Akki, please…" Instead of slowing Akki just thrust once more making it go deeper that all the others.  
Loki woke from his dream with a scream, "STOP!" he cried, falling into a tight embrace of his brother, "Loki, it's just a dream, wake up. It's me Thor, calm yourself."  
Loki shook in Thor's embrace, his eyes wide before he pushed him away, hugging himself, "Brother…" he saw Thor looked hurt, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to."  
"It is fine Loki, are you alright?" Thor asked. Loki simply nodded, getting up shakily and going to the window. "Loki?"  
"It was just another nightmare," he spoke, not looking back.  
Thor frowned, "We'll find a way to stop them, and him, I promise."  
"Never make promises like that, Thor." He replied, shakily sitting back down.  
"Loki… I'm going to Midgard today to see if a friend there has any advice… Will you be fine alone?" Thor looked worried.  
"I think I can manage. I'm not a child." He lay back down, closing his eyes, "All the doctor is permitting me to do is lie here anyways."  
"Alright little brother, you sure you don't want me to send Hogun or Fandral over to keep you company? Or Sif?"  
"Thor… I'll be fine."  
"Okay. Farewell then. I shall be back before dawn." Thor leaned down and kissed his brother on the forehead, making Loki blush before leaving the room. Loki sat up and looked at the empty doorway before standing. He grabbed his cloak from the drawer next to his bed and put it on, looking at the snowy view of the Asgardian forests below.

Thor sat across the table from Helen, an expert on dreams. Her small amount of knowledge of the Jotun was also helpful. She sighed, looking through a book titled "Famous Jotun" which looked relatively new. She stopped flipping through the pages for a moment, and smiled.  
"Ahah. I think I have it, some Jotun are born with the ability to manipulate dreams. That sounds like your Akki fellow. Says here, basically, they build a stronger connection with their victims the more contact they have with them… The stronger the bond the more vivid and lifelike the dreams are. That means each time Loki goes to sleep and sees Akki, Akki has more and more control over him. Make sense?"  
Thor nodded, "Is there a way for me to, uh, enter the dream and interfere?"  
She nodded licking her finger and turning the page, "Find the fellow, and you find the dream."  
"So, all I have to do is find him in Jotunheim and I'm in the dream?"  
"Yes, but, hm…. It seems that it's a little more complex. If he or Loki become aware before hand of your arrival they can block you from the dream… And unless you have a strong bond with your little brother it will be very hard to make any kind of physical contact with him in the dream."  
"I see. Thank you, Lady Helen." He said kissing her hand and bowing a bit.  
"Oh Thor, you haven't changed a bit since high school. Now go on and help out your brother." She closed her book and looked at him.  
"Of course, goodbye then. Nice seeing you again." Thor smiled and left.

Meanwhile, back in the Asgardian forests Loki sat alone perched atop a large snow bank, "It's strange to think it, but I've never really been cold." He said aloud to himself. He lay back in the snow, feeling sick. He sighed, it was beginning to get late… the sun could rise any moment now and he still wasn't back… Maybe a short nap wouldn't hurt… He felt really tired anyways.  
When Loki woke Thor was at his side, about to place a hot rag over his forehead. When he saw his brother was awake Thor quickly put down the rag and looked at him.  
"What were you thinking?!" he shouted, "I told you to stay here! You could have frozen to death, is this another attempt at thy life?"  
Loki looked away and shook his head, "No, I just wanted to go out, it's been so long since I've been able to breathe fresh air."  
Thor's expression softened as he sat down beside his brother and pulled him into a tight embrace, "I'm sorry, I was just so worried. When I found you your body was so cold, I was afraid I'd lost you. You slept like a corpse the whole way here. I didn't mean to shout."  
"Its fine, I understand." Loki stood up, holding himself.  
"Did you have another nightmare, while you were asleep, brother?"  
"No, I slept soundly." He smiled.  
"That is good." Thor picked the rag up and handed it to Loki, "To warm you," he said, "Do you think; maybe this means Akki is fading?"  
"No. I think the snow protected me…"  
"Protected you, Loki, what do you mean?" Thor frowned, he didn't enjoy I when his brother was like this. Where did the carefree trickster go at times like this? He hadn't seen that side of Loki since before the Jotuns invaded his ceremony, and that was ages ago. Loki shrugged in response. "Well, never mind that brother. I prepared you some Midgardian food as a surprise for when you woke."  
Loki smirked, "It's been awhile since I've had the misfortune of eating your cooking."  
"Brother, you forget you are the one who always burns things. It's in your nature after all." He got up, "I'll return shortly."  
"Alright." Loki nodded, and soon enough his brother returned with a platter of dishes.  
He handed Loki a bowl of some orange pasta, "The mortals call it a comfort food, so I thought you may need it. It's called macaroni and cheese." Loki took a bite, chewing and swallowing. "How bad is it?"  
"It's actually very good, you've always been a good cook."  
"The liesmith tells a truth, it's been a while." Thor laughed.  
"Oh hush, what else have you got on that platter?" he peeked over Thor's shoulder at the food.

Thor watched his little brother sleeping, it wasn't like when he picked him up in the snow, Loki was tossing and turning restlessly. He no longer looked peaceful and that worried Thor. This sleep was partially his fault though; he'd slipped a sedative into his food so that he would sleep long enough for Thor to find Akki. That's all he needed, and when Loki awoke he could convey how sorry he was, for making Loki suffer all this extra time…  
He arrived at the newly repaired Bifrost looking at the gate keeper, "Jotunheim."  
He nodded and within moments Thor was walking across an icy ground, already feeling the coldness settle in his bones. He saw Laufey's old palace in the distance. No doubt a vain king would hide there… Thor walked for a long time till he got to the entrance. The whole place was surrounded in a purplish haze. It made Thor uneasy. He heard a scream and began to run toward the palace.  
"Thor!" the blood curdling scream made him jump and run faster. In the throne room he saw Loki being assaulted by…by… him? Akki had transformed into him and was toying with Loki.  
"Brother, don't you trust me…?" Akki spoke with Thor's voice in the false body, holding his victim against the throne as his tongue lightly licked up his thigh. Loki's eyes widened and he looked up, only to see the real Thor, watching, horrified. Loki squeezed his eyes shut, trying to turn his face from the direction the real Thor was in,.  
"Akki… stop…you're not Thor…" he coughed.  
"You weren't so sure a minute ago. Every detail of my body is just like him, how could you be sure? Aren't I granting your hearts deep desires? Thor, did you know, this man here loves you, he wishes to be more than just a brother to you… All I'm doing is helping him…"  
"Stop your foulness!" Thor shouted, he couldn't respond further, what if there was a chance Akki was not lying? He didn't want to hurt his brother anymore…  
He summoned Mjnor to his hand and threw but Akki caught it and threw it down, "When I'm you, I can do just as much damage as you can." Thor was uncertain of a next move, but watching Akki taunt his brother was too much. "Brother, why won't you cry out my name?"  
"You're not my brother!" he kept trying to say it with as much confidence each time he repeated it but Akki was making it hard, thrusting deep into Loki. He looked at the young god beneath him and smirked, going faster.  
"Thor!" Loki cried out, quickly covering his mouth as the tears streamed down his cheeks. This man was not Thor, and he knew that… so how could he shout such a thing in the presence of his brother? Was he really that weak? "Please, Akki, stop!"  
Thor bounded up to the throne, ready to grab his brother's arm but it just slipped through, like Loki was a ghost. He thought back on Helen's words and cringed, with Loki in a position like this, where the last of his pride was on the line it would be extremely difficult to help him.  
"Loki, you must trust me, please, let me touch you! I can't help you like this!"  
Loki shook his head, covering his face, crying out each time Akki managed to get deeper, "The only salvation you have is waking up before you die in a dream, but your brother may not have even granted you that much… giving you such a strong sedative." Loki looked at Thor, before screaming and falling back, disappearing from the room. "I guess he still could…" Akki said smiling and shifting back into himself, "You better hurry him and be there when he wakes up."  
"Heimdall!"

Thor ran in just as he watched Loki stumble out of bed, falling over and puking. He quickly pulled Loki into his arms, "Shhh, shhhh, it's alright, Loki, I'm here…" Thor said trying to comfort him. Loki pushed him away.  
"Get away! G-get away!" he screamed, "You _bastard_!" he held himself, pressing himself against the wall.  
Thor didn't understand, "What is the matter brother?"  
"Leave me alone… you… you drugged me!" he shouted angrily. "I-I can't even trust you!"  
Thor's look softened, "Loki, I didn't mean to… I didn't know it was…"  
"W-why can't you just leave me alone? Why didn't you let me die in peace?"  
"Brother!" Thor grabbed him and looked at him in the eyes. "Don't say such foolish things!" he bellowed, "You will survive this with me." He said, making Loki tremble in his grasp.  
"Let me go…" Loki whispered, "You betrayed me-"  
"As if you could speak!" Thor's voice boomed in his ears as he was released, "You tried to kill me and destroy my whole life!"  
Loki opened his mouth but choked, lost for words. He fell to his knees, wounded by his brother's harsh words. "I did." He nodded.  
Thor quickly knelt beside his brother, "Loki, I'm so sorry- I didn't mean to hurt you… I know I have no place to speak since I've not witnessed the pain the Jotun king puts you through, but I have no doubts we can defeat him. I went to Lady Helen about a possible way to get him, but you have to let me in." Thor ran his fingers through Loki's long black hair and smiled a little to reassure him, "Don't think letting me help you is letting go of your pride brother, you're a stronger man if you admit when you need help and allow others to aid you."  
Loki nodded, "Alright, alright, does that mean you have to see me like…" Loki's already faint voice trailed off.  
"Yes, but I won't think any less of you, I promise you that much. Do you think you can go back to sleep again?"  
Loki shook his head, "No, not so soon… I still feel ill." He remained stationary, taking a breath to regain his composure.  
"It's alright, I understand, but do you promise, when you do, you'll let me help you."  
"Yes. I promise."

It had been a few minutes since Loki had fallen asleep and Thor was already on his way to the Bifrost. He wouldn't let his brother down- he couldn't.  
"Faster Sleip! Who knows how soon he will wake…" Thor held the horse tightly as they ran into the Bifrost, "Take me to Jotunheim!" he shouted, sparing to time for a 'please'. They were transported to the icy world once more, "Sleipnir, I'm going to walk from here… I know Loki would be upset with me if I let you see him like this. Stay put so when I get back we can rush back to him, okay?" The horse whinnied in reply and Thor stroked his man, "Good boy."  
As Thor finally approached the palace he heard the same cries from his brother, as he heard when Loki slept. Thor quickened pace and broke into the palace, witnessing the same immoral act as the last time he stepped foot in Akki's place.  
Loki sobbed softly, looking even more completely broken than before. He closed his eyes, his tears now silent.  
"Loki!" Thor shouted.  
Loki opened his eyes for a brief moment as he looked at his brother, "Thor… help… me…" his voice trailed off as he reached out to his brother.  
Thor practically saw the shallow breath leaving his brothers lips as he summoned Mjnor to his hand and charged at Akki. The whole incident happened as if time had slowed itself. The hammer knocked the Jotun king off of Loki and to the ground. He saw the man's shocked face as his skin began to turn to ice and crack.  
"How- how did you-? I never expected Laufeyson to swallow h-his pride and ask for help…" Akki choked. "You're an interesting man Thor…" He smirked a bit before his whole body shattered like glass.  
"He's gone now Lo-" Thor stopped as he looked over and realized Loki had already disappeared. "Damnit…" Thor cursed, running back to where he left Sleipnir.

Loki opened his eyes, rubbing them as he sat up yawning. He felt like he had had a good night's rest for the first time in months. He started to get up as Thor came in.  
"Brother! You are awake!" Thor rushed to his side, hugging Loki tightly. "I could cry, I'm so happy!"  
"Please don't," Loki said, unable to keep from smiling.  
"I was scared you'd never wake up!" Thor squeezed him tighter.  
"Thor- I can't breathe." Loki said as he squirmed from Thor's arms.  
"Sorry, sorry. Today should be a day of celebration!" Thor smiled widely, looking at his brother.  
"I don't think I'm quite up to that yet…" he said, looking up at him.  
Thor chuckled and hugged his brother one more time, "Say, brother, I hope you don't mind my asking, but was what Akki said… about you liking me really true?"


End file.
